1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to indexing tables and more particularly to a workpiece supporting index table for sequentially positioning a workpiece carried thereon into desired indexing positions ready for successive machine tool operations to be performed on the workpiece. Moreover, the indexing table in accordance with the present invention is adapted to provide successive, precision angular indexing operations for supporting and holding a workpiece during successive machine tool or other operations performed thereon.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Over the years, indexing tables for machine tools have been developed and producing manufacturers of indexing devices have continually strived to increase the precision of these tables so that the finished workpieces made thereon may be maintained at a high level of quality with large numbers being produced at high rates of speed. A pneumatically operated rotating index table has been developed by the Vigel Machine Company of Turin, Italy and the Jackson Company of the United States has developed an indexing table with harmonic indexing motion.
Snow Manufacturing Company of Bellwood, Illinois, assignee of the present application has developed precision rotary turrets and index tables adapted for drilling, tapping, chucking, and boring operations with machine tools. The following U.S. patents have been directed towards various work holders and precision rotary turrets and indexing tables: U.S. Pat. No. 2,288,023 Ortegren, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 2,618,982 Mead; U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,732 Olson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,874,599 Charlat; U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,772 Burg U.S. Pat. No. 3,267,772 Gardner; U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,939 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,631 Yamazaki, et al.